Signaling device



P 1941- H. N. CARVER 2,256,015

SIGNALING DEVICE Filed April 21, 1938 Why:

INVENTOR a ATTORNEY Her e C 8/: I B%;%

Patented Sept. 16, 1941 OFFICE SIGNALING DEVICE Horace Carver, Wichita,Kans.

Application April 21, i938, Serial No. 203,348

Claims.

This invention relates to signaling devices and more particularly to aportable signal adapted to be conveniently placed on highways andsimilar thoroughfares for warning motorists and the like of obstructionson a highway.

It is ordinarily difficult for operators of vehicles such as loadedtrucks to pull of! the road when it becomes necessary to make repairs onthe vehicles under their control. Should the motor of a truck fail orthe tires need changing, the stalled or otherwise stationary vehiclecreates a hazard on the road, not only to approaching motorists, butalso to the truck operators and the property under their control;

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a signalof the character commonly known as a road flare which is capable ofreflecting and/or refracting light rays generated'by the lights ofapproaching vehicles, back approximate their source to warn theoccupants of those vehicles of the presence of obstructions on roads.

Other important objects of thepresentinvention are to provide acollapsible light reflecting and/or refracting signal of sturdy anddurable construction capable of withstanding shocks and jars withoutdamage to the signal; to so design the signal that it is diflicult totip over accidentally; to provide a housing for the reflector orrefracting element of the signal which also acts as a supportingstandard therefor; to provide a compact and easily operable signal of ahigh degree of. eiilciency; to provide a protective mounting for thereflector or light refracting element of the signal; to provide thehousing with foldable members forming a closure for the housing in onecondition and a standard for the signaling element in another condition;to provide for limiting sliding movement of the signaling elementrelative to the housing; to provide an arrangement for locking thehousing closing element in folded relation; to so arrange the signalingelement standard membersrelative to the signaling element as to maintainthe same against folding movement when the signalingv element is inoperative condition; and to provide improved parts and arrangements ofparts making up a signaling device according to the present invention.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, Ihave provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of whichis illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

wherein:

Fig 1 is a perspective view of a signaling device embodying the featuresof the present invention showing the device in operative condi-' tion.

Fig. 2 is a perspective viewpf the signaling device when in collapsedcondition adapted to be stored. I

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the signaling device in operativecondition, part of the housing being broken away to illustrate themanner of limiting extraction of the signaling element from the housing.a

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the sig-,

naling device particularly illustrating the signaling supportingstandards for maintaining the signaling element in operative condition.

Fig. 5 is a detail end elevational view illustrating the manner ofattaching the standard ele-- ments to the housing, the elements beingshown in cross-section.

Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal cross-section through one end of thehousing illustrating the relation of the standard members when inhousing closing condition.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

The invention generally includes a housing I, a signaling element 2slidably mounted in the housing, and standard or base members 3 and 4which serve to close the housing when the device is not in operativecondition and which serve as supporting base, standard or bracingniiembers when the device is in operative condit on.

The housing I preferably includes a box-like structure having side walls5 and G,t0p and bottom walls I and B respectively, and an end wall 9.The front end I 0 of the housing is normally open for slidably receivingtherein the signaling element 2. I

A stop member H is preferably provided 'on' the top wall 1, for example,of the housing at the open end thereof and is fixed thereto as by fastening devices l2 for locking engagement witha lug 13 preferably formedintegrally on the frame I4 of the-signaling element 2 when the signalingelement is withdrawn to the outer end of the housing.

As a matter of practice, the signaling element is first inserted in thehousing and the stop member II is subsequently applied so as to'lock thesignaling element in semi-permanent relation to the housing.

The signaling element 2 has a plate IE or a plurality thereof suitablymounted in the frame l4, the plate l5 preferably being of a characteradapting it for reflecting and refractlng light their sources ofincidence. A- suitable handle element It is also provided on the outerend l1 of the frame for facilitating withdrawing the signaling elementrelative to its housing. In order to close the open end I of the hous- ITing, the. standards 3 and 4 are provided which {are preferably ofangular shape and consist of lright angularly disposed flanges Iii-2|,the outer ends of each of which are Joined byfcap members 22 and 23.ends of the standards 3 and 4 are hinged as at 124 and 2| to the outerend 26 of the bottom wall 3 of the housing in such a manner that thestandards may be hinged upwardly when the sigl8-l9 and The inner nalingelement is in housedcondition to provide a substantially plane surfaceat their junctures 2'! and 23, Fig. 6, when in closed position. The

' flanges l8 and of the standards are also arfranged for overlappingrelation when the stand- :ards are closed as shown at 29 in Fig. 6.

It is desirable to lock the standards 3 and 4 in closed condition whenthe device is not being used, and also in open position when thestandgards form a support to maintain the signaling element in operativecondition. In order to maintain the signaling device in operativecondition, the inner ends .of the flanges l9 and 2| are spacedsufficiently, as particularly illustrated at-30 and 31, in Figs. 1 and4, to permit sliding engagement of the lower portion 32 of the frametherebetween when the signaling element is being withdrawn from thehousing member. This, engagement of the standards and signaling elementprevents buckling oi the elements to hinged or closed condition andformsa brace which adequately withstands severe wind pressuresordinarily tending to tip over the signaling device. j .Thecap member 23of the overlapping standard 4 is preferably provided with a spring cliplocking device 33 engageable over the outer corner 34 of the standard 3,when in closed posi-' turned to their source to warn the occupants ofvehicles of an obstruction on the road.

The operation described is reversed when the signaling device has servedits purpose, and the signaling device in collapsed and inoperativecondition may easily be stored in any type of vehicle where it occupiesa minimum amount of space. I

Some of the advantages of a signaling element embodying the features ofthis invention are that the device is strong, rigid, durable, and willwithstand rough treatment. Further, the device is economical ofconstruction and admirably suited for the purpose for which it isdesigned.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a signaling device of the character dehousing andlaterally of theside walls thereof to aow movement of the signaling element outw rdlyrelative to the housing and for engaging a support for the housing tomaintain the housing upright and the signaling element in operativecondition, and a substantially duplicate tion, to lock the standardsrelative to each other for closing the housing and retaining thesignaling element within the housing. v

The operation of a signaling device constructed as described is asfollows:

3 The signaling device is normally stored in the condition illustratedin Fig. 2 and, when the nece'ssity arises, may be removed from'itsstorage place and carried to its point of use. The clip lock 33 israised to permit the standard 3 to be hinged outwardlyrelative tothehousing which also permits a similar hinging movement of the standard 4.The, handle element i6 is then grasped to withdraw the signaling element2 from its housing I to a point at whichthe stop member .on the housingengages the lug on the signaling. element. During such withdrawal of thesignaling element, the lower portion ofthe frame, passes between theinner edges of the ,fianges :,l3,and 2| of the supporting standards fromheadlights of oncoming vehicles may impinge against the light reflectingand retracting section having one end pivoted to the wall pivotallysupporting the other section and cooperating with said first namedsection in forming said end wall, the other end of said second namedsection being movable laterally ofthe housing .in a direction sub'stantiallyopposlte to the first named section to cooperate with thefirst named section in forming a supportfor the housing and thesignaling element.

2. In a signaling device'of thecharacter 'described, a housing, havingtop, bottom, side and end walls, -a signaling element slidably mountedin the housing, one of said housing end walls comprising a sectionhaving one end pivotally mounted on another of said walls, the otherendof said section being movable away from the housing and laterally of thesidewalls thereof to allow movement of the signaling element outwardlyrelative vsection in forming said end wall, the other end to the housingand for engaging a support for the housing to-maintain the housingupright and the signaling element inoperative condition, and

a substantially duplicate section having one end pivoted to the wallpivotally supporting the other section and cooperating with said firstnamed of said second named section being movable laterally of thehousing'in a direction substantially opposite to the first named sectionto cooperate portion of the signaling element and thus be re- 75 withthe first named section in forming a support .for the housing and thesignaling element, said sections having portions adjacent their pivotedends engageable with opposite sides of the signaling element whenmovedoutwardly relativeto the housing for retaining said sections in pivotedhousing and signaling element supporting condition. I

3. In a signaling device of the character described, a housing havingtop, bottom and side walls and an end wall, a frame adapted to carry I Ia signaling element substantial] conformin in The signaling element is,of course, placed on y g I 3 shape to the housing and mounted therein, asecthe ground in such a manner that light rays movable laterally of thehousing to allow movement of the frame outwardly relative to the housingand for engaging a support for the housing to maintain the housingupright and the frame in operative condition, and a substantiallyduplicate section pivoted to said bottom wall adjacent the first namedsection, said sections having overlapping engagement with each otherwhen closed to form another end wall for the housing.

4. In a signaling device of the character described, a housing havingtop, bottom and side walls and an end wall, a frame adapted to carry asignaling element substantially conforming in shape to the housing andmounted therein, a section having its lower end pivotally mounted on aportion of said bottom wall, said section being movable laterally of thehousing 'to allow movement of the frame outwardly relative to thehousing and for engaging a support for the housing tions 'to supplementthe top wall of the housing for enclosing said frame.

5. In a signaling device of the character described, a housing havingtop, bottom and side walls and an end wall, a frame adapted to carry asignaling element substantially conforming in shape to the housing andmounted therein, a. section having its lower end pivotally mounted onoperative condition, a substantially duplicate secto maintain thehousing uprightand the frame tion pivoted to said bottom wall adjacentthe first named section, said sections having overlapping engagementwith each other when closed to form another end wall for the housing,and cap members closing the upper ends of said sections to supplementthe top wall of the housing for enclosing said frame, one of said capmembers having a locking member engageable with the other section toretain the sections in overlapped relation. I a 1 HORACE N. CARVER.

